Bring me to Life
by inside my mind1
Summary: "I never unfell for Stefan" was on repeat in his mind. Damon had to get away, who could blame him. 60 years was a long time for a human. Damon didn't look back as he boarded the unknown flight with just the clothes on his back. Delena – longer summary inside.
1. Chapter 1 Forbidden

**This is my first co-anything on this site. I'm co-authoring this with blue-blaze7 on here on fanficiton. And this is with alot of encouragement that I put this up on here. I'll tell you I'm scared I read many fanfictions on here that are so good, and I love them. But here I go with the help of my friend Blue-Blaze7 who is an awesome writer, and has written a number of stories on here. Check her out, I'll love it she'll love it. **

**This first chapter is testing the waters... so be kind, please be constructive, so we can improve our story. If you don't like it, tell us why. Thank You. **

**Please leave us a review! **

**Hugs!**

**Inside my mind1 and Blue-Blaze7**

**Summary: "I never unfell for Stefan" went repeatedly through Damon's mind. He had to get away, who could blame him...he'd lost her forever. "FOREVER" It was on repeat in his mind. 60 yrs was alot of time for a human. But it was a millisecond for him. Damon didn't look back as he boarded the unknown flight with just the clothes on his back. Alot could change in 60 yrs, but what would he come home to? **

**Pairing: Damon and Elena**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, just borrowing the characters for a little while**

* * *

**Prologue - Forbidden**

**2072**

They had hit him fast and without warning. One moment he was sitting in the airport lounge, waiting for his boarding call and the next he found himself on the ground his hand clutching his chest, wondering if he was going to die. The pressure building in his chest was painful. He'd been attacked with vervain before, but this one had hit him unannounced his eyes darted around to see where this threat had come from, but he saw nothing. His vampire senses as if they were gone.

No one was around, and he couldn't move. He was becoming more and more light headed. People were walking around him as if he didn't exist. If he was human he was sure his heart would have been galloping in his chest. But he was a vampire that just didn't happen.

Thoughts raced through his head, he was being attacked by an invisible force, and he was invisible. He felt something on his forehead and tried to reach up his hand, but he couldn't move it. It was like he was one with the ground. The only bodily function he had was he could move his eyes. What the _hell_ was happening to him?

In all his 230 odd years, he had never felt a force this powerful what was it? _Alien._ He swallowed well if this was the end of his existence he might as well enjoy it. He watched as two ladies walked by in mini – skirts. Hey you can't blame a vampire for trying right. He shook himself where did that come from. This was not only messing with his powers, it was messing with his mind. He quickly summed up what was happening. He felt a sharp pain, hit his chest. He went down, it felt like vervain. Vervain did have that effect on them it could paralyze a vampire if they hadn't been building up. But he'd been building up. This wasn't vervain. It was something else.

He weakened even further, there was blackness filling in spots in his vision. Like he was going blind _oh wonderful _he thought to himself. He didn't even feel this when he was preoccupied with the werewolf bite decades ago. His racing thoughts drifted to where he'd been headed and that had been the last thought he had.

* * *

"Elena, you can't" Riley said softly, as he held onto her arm.

"But he…" She whispered, watching the door of the private lounge where the man had stumbled in a moment ago.

"_You can't."_ Her companion said again, flicking his gaze toward the doorway of the lounge, where a security guard stood watching over the crowd.

Elena's gaze was still fixed on the closed door. She knew what Riley's worry was they'd been running for years. She knew exactly what would happen if that guard suspected who she was... but the knowledge that she could have done something to help. Riley's grip on her upper arm tightened a little.

"Lena, don't do that to yourself." He said gently, but the tone in his voice was still firm.

Elena ripped her gaze from the closed door to stare into the face of her companion. After traveling together for years, she'd grown immune to his cool dark good looks. Riley drew many a female eye wherever they went and it often helped her remain in the shadows. Even now as he sat in torn jeans and a hoodie, a baseball cap covering his black raven hair Riley was still drawing the appreciative stares of many female travelers. But as she faced him and met his dark stare, she was unnoticing of any of his handsome features. She lowered her tinted glasses so that he was treated to the full focus of her chocolate eyes.

"Riley" She tried to compel him.

"Play fair Lena." Riley warned, but his tone wasn't as strong as it had been a moment ago. She knew all too well he wasn't able to be compelled or whatever she could do to people. Her thoughts drifted off.

She swung her attention back toward the closed door of the lounge, feeling that if she was going to do something, she needed to do it soon. Turning back to Riley she placed her hand over his and removed it from her arm.

"Lena" His tone faltered as he unwillingly let go. He took off his hat and raked both hands through his hair. He cast a glance at the security guard.

She could sense that she was running out of time. "_Riley… I have to_. "She spoke thru her teeth, in a low whisper.

"Why?" He glared at her.

Elena glanced toward the doorway, she could feel the alarm that the man was emanating and it pained her. He was scared, and she could sense why. She turned and cast one more look toward Riley.

"He'll die if I don't."

"People die every day Elena. "His tone was cold.

She sighed. "He's scared and alone. I know it happens, but not like this, it doesn't have to happen like this. Not when I can help..." Elena stood up and moved toward the door. "I have to."

Riley looked at her for another second before emitting a frustrated groan. He stood quickly. "Go _now_." He grumbled, walking over to the security guard to ask him a question, just long enough to keep the man's attention from noticing Elena sneaking into the private lounge.

* * *

Feeling hot, out of breath, and stricken Damon finally able to turn his head and move his body he'd forced himself against the cold tile of wall, trying to bring some relief. His chest burned and his throat was so closed that he was felt lightheaded, nauseous and dizzy. What was this_?_ He closed his eyes tightly, and breathed in slow deep breaths. He was alone now in the room people had cleared out of it, or it was just part of the sickness. Vampires didn't get sick, he tried to think what he had been doing up till recently and it was all jumbled.

"I can help you if you allow me." A soft voice said.

Damon jerked his eyes toward the soft familiar voice. A figure in a hooded coat walked toward him and knelt by his side. He was shocked that this woman could see him, and his first thought was maybe she had caused his sickness. But he couldn't sense any malice about her. She looked harmless, but then again so had Bonnie, and she had the ability to take him down with a stare. Focus Damon, he wanted to tell her to get the hell away from him, he didn't want to hurt her…but he could only pitifully try to explain what was happening, well make up a lie.

He tried to rasp out what was happening, but she shushed him.

"Don't, you don't have enough air." She said softly, reaching for him. Air the hell, he didn't really need air… well he breathed, but it was mostly just for power. A vampire could hold their breath for a long period of time; he didn't need oxygen to survive. But it was nice to sense danger, or track someone.

His senses were screaming at him that he was in danger he wanted to pull away, but didn't have the strength. Her touch was soft as she turned his face from the wall and forced him to look at her. He stared at the face of possibly the last person he'd ever see. Dark brown waves spilled out from the sides of the hood of her coat, framing a heart shaped face with eyes hidden behind dark glasses.

"….?" He choked.

"Shh… I'm going to help you." She removed her glasses and looked straight at his face.

Damon gasped as he got a look at her… _Elena?...but she… _he felt his eyes start to well with tears.

"Shhh…stay still." _How was she here?_

But that was his last thought as everything went dark.

* * *

She hoped that her large hooded jacket had covered her hair and face enough for no one in the private lounge to pay attention to her. As she walked into the bathroom, she saw the man sitting on the floor, his hand over his heart, gripping the fabric of his shirt. His ice blue eyes flicked toward her, alarmed as he saw her.

Elena knew she was being irrational. She knew that if she was discovered that she would be in more trouble than she already was. She would never be able to come back to this part of the country worst case scenario this part of the world. But the energy in the air and the feeling of urgency, she knew that this vampire was going to die, now…right before her eyes if she didn't do something.

As if he heard her thoughts, he rasped out a whisper.

Her heart lurched. Something in his voice tugged at her, sparked something deep inside, something that she thought would never flame again. In that second she made her decision.

She dropped to her knees beside him and reached her hand out to try and comfort him. He needed to be calm if this was going to work. Elena knew that if he continued to panic, she wouldn't be able to make the connection that she needed to make. Or if it would work on their kind, he was a vampire… he wasn't human.

But she needed to make it...if she was going to save him.

Damon's eyes widened as she pulled off her glasses to look at him. She tried to smile for him, to assure him that it was all right; that despite his rising alarm and what he was seeing in her eyes, that everything would be okay. Whether he understood or not she wasn't sure, as his eyes drifted shut and he sagged against the wall unconscious.

* * *

Elena had caught his shoulder to keep him from sliding fully to the floor, and got a good look at his face. His black raven hair hung over his forehead giving him a charming look he looked young in human years although his strong features suggested he was closer to her age. Something about him seemed familiar, but she couldn't place it and there wasn't time.

His life force flickered, and she knew there was little time left if she was going to help him. Being who and what she was, she knew what she was about to do was forbidden.

"Since when do I do as I'm told?" She whispered to herself, and placed her palm on the man's chest. She could feel his light flickering and something deep within her clenched.

"You are not going to die, not today." She closed her eyes and sucked in a deep breath. She hadn't had time to prepare, but she hoped what she could give would be enough. And then, though she'd never attempted a healing like this Elena opened her mind and let loose everything she had.

She flooded the young vampire with as much of her inner light as she could manage. Power flew from her to him as she concentrated on taking the poison that entrapped him. She pushed harder, amplifying the light as she brought his body back from certain death. Elena gasped for air herself as the effort it took drained her quickly. She'd never attempted a healing this severe, and never had she done it on a vampire. She wasn't sure what the complication of this healing would do to the balance of earth. Her kind and their kind weren't supposed to know of each other's existence. She wasn't supposed to exist, let alone neither was he.

Closing her eyes with the effort, a thousand images flashed through her mind, of people and places she'd never seen. Elena had barely a second to wonder if these were the man's memories. _Why was she seeing them_? More faces and places flashed by, but mingled with these unfamiliar scenes were ones she recognized. She saw herself as a child, the forests that surrounded her home, and her parent's voices what was going on?

The vampire's life force flamed brighter as she pushed more of her light into him. She felt the warmth and color of his aura embrace her, mixing his powerful aura with her own. The touch of his soul was warm and gentle and despite her weakening state she knew that she had done the right thing by stopping his death.

Elena could feel that she was coming to the end of her strength but she couldn't stop herself, and with one final flash, she was exhausted; just as the man opened his beautiful blue eyes. He looked up into her own unusual one's his were a slight bit perplexed as he was trying to focus in on her. They didn't speak, just watched one another.

* * *

Riley small talked the guard for quite some time until he was sure the man had taken no notice of his comrade walking into the restroom. But now as he paced the room, he began to worry. She hadn't emerged and it was taking too long. Their flight was due to board soon and besides that, if anyone walked into that lounge while she was. Riley quickly crossed the room.

As he opened the door, he fought the urge to curse, the man wasn't human. Elena knelt beside the man, gasping for her own breath. The man she'd gone after sat against the wall looking perplexed. Riley dropped to his knee beside her.

"Lena, you little fool. Are you trying to get caught?" He muttered, as he retrieved her glasses from the floor. Staring at the vampire, to make sure he didn't try anything.

She shook her head, still breathing heavily and watching the strangers face.

Damon finally found his voice, taking in the other man that had entered the restroom he was certain that he was human but he couldn't detect what she was.

"What… what happened?" The man sputtered, staring at Elena whose hand was still pressed against his chest.

"You fainted man, you're all right" Riley quickly said.

"Fainted? What no I was." He blinked rapidly a few times as if trying to remember.

Reluctantly, Elena started to sit up but felt so weak that she had to lean on Riley as he pulled her to her feet.

"You did. I came in here and you were on the floor." Riley stammered, holding onto Elena's shoulder to help her stay on her feet.

The stranger also tried to stand, pulling himself up slowly, but cautiously like a hunter.

"What? No I don't remember. I." Elena saw the memory dawning on him. He looked up at her, locking gazes.

Elena stared back, glad to see that her healing had worked, that he now seemed fine with his aura blazing in brilliant color. But forgetting that she still wasn't wearing her special glasses, as she looked into his eyes she watched his mouth drop open.

"You - it was you, what are you?" He breathed.

"We've gotta go, Lena." Riley said, starting to tug her toward the door as the vampire uttered those words.

"Wait." Elena said softly, but she knew Riley was right. "Just give me a minute."  
Riley sighed.

"Fine, you've got 5 minutes. I'll be outside." He glared, moving away from her to leave the room.

Elena faced the young vampire who was still staring at her in shock. Now that they were alone she was unsure of what to say. But she wanted to comfort him, to ask for his silence. She'd planned to be out before he woke up, but she hadn't expected to be so drained or for him to wake so fast. She tried to offer him a small smile.

* * *

In all his existence he'd never felt quite as confused as he did at this moment. Damon stared at the creature that faced him she'd been there when he'd opened his eyes. Now he vaguely remembered her being there as he'd lost consciousness.

For now he felt disoriented, but the tightness in his chest, the extreme pain, and everything else that had had kept him from moving, it was all gone. But she was still here watching him with strange yet beautiful eyes. A million questions danced on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't manage to get any of them out. What was she was one of them? A vampire doomed to live as he, but chanced a different route? She wasn't human, was she a witch? No, because witches had detectable heartbeats. But she had the power to heal.

"You'll be all right now." She said softly.

He forced himself to speak. "...Elena?" He wasn't going to start with _what are you_, again. And she looked like Elena, and the man had called her that hadn't he, was she the Elena he knew?

She hesitated, glancing toward the door. "I have to go." She stepped away from him and he found himself desperate for her to stay to explain but he couldn't make himself move to stop her. He wasn't sure if it was fear, or if it was her.

"Please." He searched her face.

"I can't." She took another step, and reluctantly turned away. As he lost eye contact with her, he felt a loss that he couldn't explain. And for a moment he felt cold, wanting that connection back. He moved quickly, reaching out for her shoulder to stop her from walking out the door.

"Damon, let me go." She said gently, shocking him with her use of his name.

"How did you?..." He sputtered narrowing his eyes.

"I just knew. Please, I have to go now."

"But you…" She turned then to regard him solemnly, removing his hand from her shoulder.

"I'm glad I did it, but if I don't leave now, things will _happen_, things _you_ can't know, things _you_ won't understand. I won't be able to come back…" She rambled breathlessly. "I helped you. Now you have to help me _let me go_." She squeezed his hand; his blue eyes flickered down to the touch.

Damon was still totally confused, but he saw the desperation in her face and slowly let go of her hand.

"Just tell me your name since you seem to know mine." Realizing that might be the only answer he would get, out of his million questions. She smiled at him then, tucking her curls back into her hood and pulling it up over her head.

"Elena" and she was gone.

Damon stood there with his mouth hanging open for he didn't know how long. He finally had to blink back the moisture in his eyes. He ran his hands through his dark hair and leaned against the wall. He felt different, stronger somehow. He drew a breath in and looked at himself in the mirror. He ran the water and splashed water on his face. The grabbed a paper towel to wipe it clean he pulled out his cell phone and stared at it a beat or two. No, he could go without explaining this to anyone. He wasn't sure they'd understand despite what he was. And besides he wasn't sure his brother would be around or there even. 60 years may have been a long time for a human, but for them it was a no time at all.

* * *

Riley almost dragged her out of the lounge and down the hall to where their flight was boarding at. Elena had to jog to keep from being knocked forward by his dragging. His urgency was understandable as their flight was boarding and the guard had given her a strange look as she exited the lounge. She had tried to laugh it off that she'd walked in the wrong door, but it was clear he'd had been suspicious. Here only hope was that Damon may intercede in that and compel him to forget he was there.

As they jogged down the corridor, Riley was grumbling several things to her.

"That was a mistake."

"No it'll be all right." She tried to reassure him.

"But he wasn't _human_…he was one of them." Riley dragged her faster, all the while cursing as they moved.

"Ri he has no idea what I am, he couldn't." She tried to be reassuring, but she herself was unsure.

"You _don't know _that! Lena! You know I love and adore you, but sometimes you are too reckless you know? That guard totally suspected something and now that man…"he trailed off.

"He'll compel the guard, and he _will _forget, and he was dazed it will be all right." Elena panted as their pace quickened. She was weak from the healing.

"I hope you are right." He grumbled.

As they reached the gate Riley finally slowed down and let go of her forearm to dig in his coat pocket for their boarding passes. It gave Elena a chance to catch her breath, but as she did so she heard a voice calling behind her. Oh, no…no… she whipped her head in that direction.

"Wait! Hey! Wait!" Damon called from behind.

Riley looked over his shoulder and groaned. "Forget it? Lena? Doesn't look like it! "He turned back around and glared at her.

* * *

In that moment for it took the girl to slip out of the bathroom, Damon instantly felt a pain of loss. He shook his head and tried to bring himself back to normal, retrieving his belongings. He walked out of the lounge he got a strange look from the guard.

"You will forget that we were here, everything is normal as any other day." He didn't know why he felt the need to compel the guard. But he did, maybe she'd compelled him. No, only originals could do that. He picked up his bag and something fell from it, a paper with the name Elena on it. Damon looked around the room for her but she wasn't there, and neither was the man he'd seen with her as if they'd never been. He used his senses to see if he could track them. But it was incredibly hard.

He wanted to talk to her, to thank her or even just to be near her again. Something inside him had clicked when she'd looked at him with those eyes as he sank into one of the chairs of the lounge he felt empty. What had she done to _him?_ As he sighed and closed his eyes, he saw her in the darkness the dark chocolate curls that had tumbled out from the oversized hooded jacket she wore, and those eyes…he focused on _them._

Staring at the color he'd never seen on another person before or even vampire or other supernatural's for that matter. Eyes so deep brown they appeared chocolate, with shimmers of gold laced throughout the color, almost like mist. He'd been so drawn into them that when she'd put on her tinted glasses he'd been disappointed. It had almost been as… if Elena… his Elena, her eyes were chocolate.

_Stop it!_ He chided with himself, opening his own eyes and trying to shake off the vision. _What was she?_ Nobody had eyes like that at least anyone he'd ever seen. If she'd been a vampire, witch, werewolf or a hybrid he would have been able to notice shouldn't have he? Klaus was the only hybrid that they had known. Elijah had said that they were the only family of originals. But could he have been lying? He shuttered at the thought. Stefan was who knows where after they'd decided whoever Elena chose, the other would leave. Damon hadn't seen his brother in 60 years, and he sighed, he wasn't sure what compelled him to come back here. He gasped when he started to feel something in his chest. Not again….

He felt warmth on his chest, where her hand had lain when he'd woken. He ignored it for a moment, but the sensation didn't go away. Absentmindedly he moved to itch it, pulling at his shirt a little. Looking down to see what had bit him, he gasped. His senses full alert, he picked up their scent at the same time.

A moment later he launched himself from the chair and ran out of the lounge at a little more than a human pace. Glancing down the corridor that he knew they'd gone, he hesitated only a second before running headlong down it.

* * *

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	2. Chapter 2 The Mark

**Thank you for your response to our story, they mean so much to us. Thank you for reading and here is the next chapter! **

**Hugs!**

**Inside my mind1 and Blue-Blaze7**

**Summary: "I never unfell for Stefan" went repeatedly through Damon's mind. He had to get away, who could blame him...he'd lost her forever. "FOREVER" It was on repeat in his mind. 60 yrs was alot of time for a human. But it was a millisecond for him. Damon didn't look back as he boarded the unknown flight with just the clothes on his back. Alot could change in 60 yrs, but what would he come home to? **

**Pairing: Damon and Elena**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, just borrowing the characters for a little while.**

* * *

**Chapter 2 – The Mark**

_2012 – 60 years earlier._

_Damon pocketed his phone after his too emotional discussion with Elena. There was a chance that he'd be dead soon, and she had chosen to go back to Stefan to where she was safe. 'Whatever I feel for you, I never unfell for him' was playing on repeat in Damon's mind. _

_Damon turned when he realized wasn't alone. "I see you're still pissed, I take it Goldie Locks gave you the slip." Damon knew he didn't stand a chance against his once friend. But that wouldn't stop evil Alaric._

_The conversation with Elena was still on repeat in his mind. A memory forgotten surfaced for him, he didn't recognize it at first. But then it dawned on him, and he stopped the stake that Ric was holding above his head. For whatever reason he was able to turn it around on him no matter the outcome of him battling the monster before him was, it still wasn't going to change that he had lost Elena. She had made her decision. _

_He was going to move on. The monster before him won't be his demise. He'd be his own demise. The thought gave him strength as he took Evil Ric off guard, and moved so fast that he got behind him and snapped his neck. He knew he wouldn't be down long. He reached for the dropped stake, and blurred out of there before the monster could wake back up and end him._

_Then Damon was on the road driving always too fast. He pulled out his phone, and closed his eyes briefly as another thought occurred to him. _

_Could he just leave? _

_Could he give his brother those 60 years, with the woman both of them loved?_

_Tears came to his eyes at the thought, and one fell unchecked down his cheek. His throat hurt with raw emotion, and he sucked in a ragged breath. His mind scrambled for that switch that could end it all, no pain, no guilt…who was he kidding. There was no switch. Damon finally had to pull the car over. He stepped out into the cool night air and felt sick. _

_Was it happening, was Klaus telling the truth? No, this wasn't that at all. It was his heart breaking in a million pieces, at the thought of never seeing her again. His thumb traced over her picture on his phone, and he was shocked when the screen was wet he looked up at the night sky there wasn't a cloud in it. He reached his hand to his face, and felt his wet cheek. He let the pain have him for a moment longer, and then stood. He never had her to begin with…_

_Without another thought, Damon crushed the phone in his hand, and tossed it as far away from him as he possibly could. He brushed his hand off on his jeans, and folded himself back in his car, heading towards the airport. _

_Sixty years was just a moment in time for him, for Elena she would be nearing the end of her human life. Damon thought as he boarded the unknown plane with just the clothes on his back. He wouldn't look back, and no one would be able to find him._

* * *

2072

Elena had to fight her first urge to smile as she saw her stranger come running down the corridor toward their gate. His name fluttered in her mind, coming from an unknown place. _Damon. _He ran quickly, telling her that he was holding back his speed to look human, but it was his expression that worried her. Riley tried to pull her forward to the boarding gate, but she broke away from him.

"Wait." He skidded to a stop in front of her.

"What are you doing?" She said softly.

"You can't go, not _yet_" He pulled out a paper that had a familiar look to it. "This fell from my back pack." He held it out, and she reached for it.

Elena's mouth curved up into a small smile. A smile flashed across his face as well.

"Miss, we need you to board now." The stewardess chimed in.

"Elena! _Now" _Riley said quickly, giving Damon a hard stare, he returned it.

Elena looked to her stranger and saw the look of sudden realization on his face as the two men eyed each other. She felt his suspicions about _who_ or _what _Riley was.

Damon felt an enormous amount of relief as he reached them, just before they boarded their plane. The man with Elena eyed him with a warning look. Damon stood his ground and returned the look at the man, or whatever he was. They were.

"He's alright, Damon." Elena said softly with a smile.

He looked confused as he looked between her and Riley.

"What?" he raised an eyebrow, rubbing at his chest absently.

"There's no time to _explain_." Riley said with a sigh. Damon took a step forward.

"Are you an original?" He said it low Elena had to step closer to hear him.

"…no." She whispered just as low, but he was able to hear it easily.

"Then what are you?" He narrowed his eyes. Elena could feel his fear, and confusion.

'I can't tell you." She saw him draw in a surprised breath she'd given too much away.

"You can't, or you won't." He asked softly, his eyes narrowed. She reached out and placed her hand against his chest. He didn't back away, but he looked down to where she laid her hand. She looked back up a little surprised by something. But dismissed it.

Elena felt torn; she wanted to stay but knew she couldn't. She looked at Damon for a moment, seeing the desperation for answers in his eyes. She knew he wanted to ask her a million questions, and even more she could feel how much he wanted her to stay. It had been so long since anyone had known her enough to want her presence. He barely knew her, but the thought still made her smile and she stepped closer to him.

Damon knew that this was his chance and as he took her hand he boldly turned with her, but that was him king of boldness. He pulled her around so that his back was now to her companion, everything about that move had his senses on alert, and everything told him to turn back around because her partner or whatever he was dangerous. He pulled her in to stand closer to him and whispered.

"I need to _know. _What did you do to me?" His eyes narrowed dangerously as he reached up and popped open a few buttons on the black shirt he wore. She looked around for a moment, glad that this gate was now almost empty. She didn't understand what he was doing and for moment wondered if he was crazy. She started to step back.

Then she saw what he intended for her to see on his chest there were marks… that she knew matched her fingertips from where she'd touched him. She let out a soft cry, realizing that her act might have harmed him even as it had helped. But that wasn't possible, he was a _vampire_. But as she drew in a breath to apologize, he pulled at the fabric more revealing another mark in the center of the others. It was a mark she knew very well.

"No. this is impossible" She breathed, moving her hand to touch it.

"Elena!" Riley interrupted, causing her to withdraw her hand and Damon to let go of his shirt, hiding the marks from Riley's view. "We really need to go they're not going to hold the flight for us forever." He whispered furiously. He gave another cold glare at Damon, who just narrowed his eyes and stood his ground.

"But I…" she looked from Riley and then back at Damon. He was watching her with his ice blue eyes filled with confusion, and the look of anger at Riley. She knew she had to go, but after what he'd just shown her, she knew she couldn't just walk away from him.

She stepped in closer, and moved her hand between them to hand him an object.

"I'll come back." She whispered quickly to him. His eyes flickered with something she couldn't decipher and he nodded. Without looking at the object, as if he understood the need for Riley not to know, he slid the object into his jeans pocket. She watched as he stared at her, trying to make eye contact despite her dark glasses.

"Goodbye." She mouthed. Elena sucked in a deep breath and reached up a hand to slide her glasses down her nose just a little so he could read her eyes. As their gazes locked she found herself smiling a little at him. He nodded, a shimmer of a crooked smile reaching his lips but not as far as his eyes.

After their brief conversation, Damon found himself standing in the terminal watching as their plane was taxied away with the woman who possibly had saved his life and scrambled up his brain. An hour ago he would have scoffed at the idea of chasing a strange woman through a crowded airport. Let alone, realizing that he could have died another well ceased to exist, he wasn't alive, he existed. But he'd done it, and now as he watched, her plane moved toward the runway. Moments later, the plane was gone.

An eerie feeling of loss swept over him once again as he stood there by the window. But then his senses returned to him and he heard his flight being paged as boarding. He blinked a little and looked around him, realizing he was far away from where he needed to be.

"Shit!" He growled, and took off at quick walk for a plane that he hoped would wait for him. Well if he didn't make it he could always compel a stewardess to direct the plane back for him. But he made it barely, and the lady smiled at him.

"Cutting it a little close there," She smiled up at him. He nodded and gave her his trademark smirk, and winked.

"Thanks for holding it for me beautiful." As usual the woman giggled and handed him back his ticket.

"Shh…you might get me in some trouble." She teased back. Oooh he liked her.

"Troubles my middle name, Miss." Didn't he know that. She giggled again, and blushed and he took off down the terminal.

Damon relaxed into the window seat. He leaned his head back and tried to untangle his jumbled thoughts. He'd almost _died _again? What would this be rebirth number three, four? As a vampire he wasn't used to being vulnerable and he had been. It had been some sort of intense power that he had felt prior to him falling to a helpless heap on the ground. And what was even more strange no one could see him but her. What was she?

After his plane had been in flight some time he'd thought about the mark again and hurried into the bathroom to strip off his shirt and try and make sense of it. The red mark was still there, though not as bright as it had been, but it no longer bothered him whatever it was…it was just there.

He stared into the mirror and noticed a pattern to it. The marks toward the outside had to have been where her fingertips, and for a moment he relaxed as he realized a possible explanation for the burn. Maybe she had vervain on her?

But something about the mark in the center made him question that thought. The mark appeared to have a design to it. He stared closer, trying to make sense of the small burn but someone knocked on the door then, and he growled as he slipped his shirt back on. Well he wasn't going to find his answers by staring at his chest.

He'd track down Bonnie when they landed, well if she was still around he thought to himself. Maybe she could tell him who or what this Elena had been. It unnerved him, not much did that, or that he let it slip past his tight control he wasn't sure. He exited and brushed past a very irritated passenger to go back to his seat.

As he walked back to his seat he slipped a hand into his pocket, and felt something small and cold. With a jerk he remembered that it belonged to Elena, she'd handed it to him at the gate and he hadn't thought about it since. With a curious thought, he reached for it and pulled out a small silver ring with a peculiar looking stone.

He was sure it wasn't lapis, but he didn't know what the stone was. It was unlike his ring, as he stared down at his own. He stared at it for a moment, knowing it was all he had of his little mystery. He smiled a little to himself as he turned it over and over in his hand; it reminded him of her and he half wondered if that had been her reason for handing it to him. She apparently didn't need it to protect her from the sunlight so she wasn't a vampire well at least he didn't think that she was. She said she wasn't an original, but she probably didn't know what he meant. She also seemed to be able to read his thoughts. And he hers, he had visions of a little girl in his mind in a castle of some kind. Fairytale's he scoffed, and took the seat next to the window.

It was too small to fit any of his fingers, but for some reason he didn't want to let go of it, it was his only tie to her that and the strange burn she'd left on him. She'd said she'd come back _but back to where?_ He thought _the airport? _He let out a frustrated sigh this was supposed to just be trip to home to relax now only few hours in and he'd already almost died, met a strange but beautiful creature, lost her, developed some weird burn, and complicated his already supernatural existence more than he'd thought was _possible._

"Would you like a drink sir," A woman flight attendant asked him. He jerked back out of thought and looked at the woman she had blond hair and blue eyes. He watched her neck a moment or two and then shifted his eyes to meet hers. She wouldn't want him to take a drink.

"Sure thanks, bourbon please." He gave her a slow smirk.

"Um, we don't have any…sucks I know." She smiled. Damon rolled his eyes.

"…what a disappointment, anything good?" He asked casually.

"…I can give you some hundred year old scotch." She winked at him, and his ears perked up.

"Really…"He smirked, she motioned for him to follow her, and he narrowed his eyes a second. He couldn't sense any danger, so he unfolded himself from the window seat and followed.

"I don't want to get into trouble." She giggled, and reached into the liquor cabinet and pulled out a very old bottle of scotch. She struggled with the cork, so he brushed her hands away and opened it with ease. He sniffed at the aroma mostly just for a check to see if it was holding any dangers. But it wasn't, he relaxed.

"Damn."

"I know isn't it, I should have brought my bourbon." She winked at him. He smirked, and poured himself a glass. He leaned against the bar, and looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

"And where would a beautiful lady like yourself get bourbon?" He gave her a dazzling smile and did his eye thing that had the ladies melting. This woman did the same she blushed and pulled hair behind her ear.

"My daddy's cabinet." She smiled up at him. Then he realized she must be the pilot's daughter or something.

"Ahh…is your daddy the pilot?" He guessed, and she blushed all the more.

"Yes…"She giggled then he realized that she wouldn't be a flight attendant. "I'm not really a flight attendant, one of the ladies let me borrow her extra suit, because I wanted to talk to you." She blushed, Damon crossed his arms and turned to face her, she turned scarlet red.

"Ahh…"He set his glass down and smiled seductively at her. Had he been the Damon of old, he would have used compulsion, and brought her into the little elevator behind them and had his way with her, having a nice meal in the process then he would have compelled her to sleep it off and forget that he was even there.

But he probably wouldn't have had to use compulsion with her he thought to himself. But he wasn't the old Damon, that Damon was gone in replacement was a man that was more responsible and less of a cannon. He gave her a slow smile, and set down his glass.

She took it as an invitation and was running her hands up his shirt front and around his back before he had blinked. He untangled himself quickly, and set her back.

"Honey…"He started with compulsion. "You never gave me a second look you were all interested in your school work and impressing your daddy with being a good girl this flight." He let her down easy, sending her interest elsewhere and in a flash he was gone with another glass of scotch filled to the rim. He slowly sat down in his seat with a sigh.

* * *

Elena stared out the plane window at the sea of clouds below them. She knew that she owed Riley an explanation for her behavior, and he'd been relatively patient over the last hour or so of their flight. But the more she replayed the events over in her head, the more confused she became. Everything made sense up until the part where Damon had woken up after that it was a mess of questions that she didn't quite know the answers to. Maybe it was because he wasn't human she wasn't sure.

She was just supposed to heal him, to keep _him_ from dying alone in a strange place. But as she'd stared at the mark on his chest,_ her _mark she realized that it had been so much more than that. And now she was unsure what to do. She knew what she needed to do, but was reluctant to think about it. She knew she needed to contact her brother. But that was something she'd vowed never to do. She hadn't seen or heard from any of her family in over thirty years. Since the day she fled…their home.

"Elena I hate to ask you…" She heard Riley begin.

"Don't even think about it!" She hissed quickly, turning to him.

"But Lena what you did he might be able to …" Figure it out, yes she knew. But she was sure that he had no idea who or what she was. She knew he was suspicious of her and thought she was something supernatural. But he'd never put it all together because he shouldn't know of her existence.

"No!" Her answer came out more forcefully than she intended, turning a few heads around them. Elena felt her cheeks flush and turned back to the window until the other passengers stopped looking. She felt Riley touch her hand.

"Lena, don't make me into the bad guy here. I'm just worried about you." He searched her face.

"You're worried about your head. _If_ my brother would find out...you'd be in more trouble than I am." Riley let out a nervous laugh.

"More?" He questioned, and looked away from her face.

"For letting me commit the action in the question." Elena mocked her family's use of formality which lightened the mood a little.

"All the same, he might be able to help you fix it." Riley shifted uneasily.

"Fix what, Riley?" It was her turn to glare at him now.

"Our problem, that man…he might be able to…" Riley faltered, not wanting to say out loud what he was inferring. He was a vampire, they didn't know what the danger was if their two races combined. It was forbidden for her to even interact with him.

But Elena grimaced, for she understood. Actually she knew for a fact what her family would do if they found out, but she wouldn't exactly call it help. Damon would be taken and his memories altered, and if they couldn't do that. He would suffer a far more painful death that she was sure that he had ever experienced. Although _he_ Damon had experienced quite a lot, she shuddered at some of the memories that she recalled.

Death wasn't a shock to this vampire he'd met the originals in question. He'd met Klaus, defeated him, and lived to tell about it. He'd had a were-wolf bite and lived to tell about he wasn't sheltered from the unknown. But, him, knowing her, or having been in contact with her could shift the balance that he held on to with his fingernails. She could uproot the very nature of his existence if he couldn't let her go.

She had never liked that particular method of defense that her people used. Since she was a little girl she'd always thought of it was horrid, that for a being to have their memories taken and/or manipulated was almost worse than physical violence. Bodily injuries could heal, having someone invade your mind and take what they wanted seemed so much more invasive and cruel.

As she thought of this happening to the man she'd healed a flame sparked inside. She remembered the images she'd seen, of the man as a child, of his mother, so many things that could possibly be damaged or even lost in the process he'd be subjected to if they knew. But she also knew the human things she'd seen in his memory were also very far away from him. With a delicate shudder she felt his pain and misery for the last 230 odd years, the guilt of which held him down of losing his younger brother…to Klaus? His mission to find that brother and right his path and his mission to save the woman he loved, strangely though she couldn't see the woman's face. No, she couldn't let that happen to him, she wasn't sure what they could do to him as he was supernatural.

Mind alters were not a direct science and often humans would lose more than just the memories associated with her people they'd come in contact with. Other memories that could trigger them would be lost as well, even childhood ones. She flexed her hand into a fist her mind seething with anger. She'd have to calm down, or she'd probably take down the plane they were on. She felt Riley's hand rest on her's calming her.

"No. I couldn't bear that." She said softly tears pricking her eyes.

"Lena...I didn't mean…"He started and broke off.

"What kind of person would I be if I allowed them to harm him because I wanted to heal him? Because of me his whole life would be changed, I meant only to help him." Tears fell down her cheeks. She felt his hand squeeze hers.

"…Someone who meant well Elle" Riley's voice had softened and he used a name for her that she hadn't heard him utter in years, since they were kids. She looked over at him, and noted that his eyes had grown misty as he looked at her even as he tried to keep up a brave face.

Poor Riley still thought he could hide things from her; but being immortal himself he had no mental guards to keep her out, they were the same. She could feel the worry emanating off him in waves, worry for her; knowing that in letting this happen he'd failed in his mission to keep them off the radar.

"I'll figure out what to do. My father won't have to know. I'll contact Jarreth if need be." She sighed, watching as Riley's eyes widen.

"Your brother...but won't he tell?" His voice shook the thin veil of bravado he'd been trying to keep up disappearing. Elena laid her hand against Riley's chest. In effort to comfort him, she could feel his heart racing beneath hand.

"Not if I make him promise not to." She teased light heartedly, but inside she was not as completely sure. She'd been quite close to her older brother growing up, but a lot could happen in thirty years. In a nervous gesture she played with her right hand, feeling the absence of her ring that normally was on her finger. She'd hope that Damon would understand why she gave him the ring. She had meant that she'd be back for it, and to at least try and explain to him what his questions were.

* * *

**Thank you for reading and please leave us a review! :)**


	3. Chapter 3 Mystic Falls 2072

_**Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites, we appreciate them so much. Sorry for the little bit of wait to get this up, been having trouble with the website here, and posting it. But without further excuses on my part here is the next chapter! **_

_**Here Damon is back in Mystic Falls looking for answers. So please leave us a review and let us know what you think. This chapter got extremely long, so splitting it in two… more shortly!**_

_**Here's a question for you all. I know there are a lot of questions with this story, and some are being answered in the chapters. More soon will be answered, I'm just looking at what our readers will want next. Do you want more of Damon in Mystic Falls looking for answers his way, or more of Elena and who she is! Either way there will be Damon :) :) More soon I promise, the next part will be up as soon as it's done. **_

_**Let us know in your review. Give us your thoughts… I'm also a reader, have read many fan fics on here, and love it when author's ask questions…feel more involved.:) **_

_**Lots of Love,**_

_**Inside my mind1 and Blue-Blaze7**_

* * *

**Summary: "I never unfell for Stefan" went repeatedly through Damon's mind. He had to get away, who could blame him...he'd lost her forever. "FOREVER" It was on repeat in his mind. 60 yrs. was a lot of time for a human. But it was a millisecond for him. Damon didn't look back as he boarded the unknown flight with just the clothes on his back. Allot could change in 60 yrs., but what would he come home to? **

**Pairing: Damon and Elena**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, just borrowing the characters for a little while.**

* * *

**Chapter 3 – Mystic Falls 2072 Part 1**

**2072**

Damon laid his head back and closed his eyes. While still fingering her ring in his hand he wondered what the ring meant. He was jarred awake as the plane started bucking around like it was in a pinball machine. The ring fell from his hand and onto the cabin's floor. He was quick to grab it.

"Sir, you need to buckle up." A woman's voice said next to him. Damon turned his head in annoyance. He nodded, and disobeyed, as if the plane could hurt him. Because of the turbulence they were forced to land outside of Mystic Falls. Excellent Damon grumbled as he stood, and stretched his stiff muscles, grabbing his bag. He was off this piece of shit. The same flight attendant from earlier got in his way.

She caught up with him and grabbed his arm. "I'm getting off this plane, and if you care to keep that arm any longer I suggest you remove it." Damon hissed. The woman stumbled back a few steps alarmed. Damon moved quickly so he wasn't stopped again. Not that anyone could really stop him unless they had wooden bullets, and yes those would hurt, and be a bitch to pull out. But he was tired of being on the plane. He easily opened the latch off the door, and dropped to the ground outside the plane, but not before shutting the door. He sped off the runway once his feet touched the ground. He was fortunate he didn't carry anything on the plane besides his bag and himself.

He stopped running once he got into the parking lot. He'd have to find a car, and preferably not one of these new age pieces of shit he thought to himself as one of them sped past him, and nearly hit him as he stopped on the sidewalk. He was on the sidewalk for god's sakes. He kept moving, and saw the perfect car it was similar to his old Camaro that he missed. He got into it easily, was going to hotwire it, when his hand bumped the visor and keys dropped into his hand. "Why thank you." He smirked, and put them in and started it he sped out of the tunnel. Best he could tell he was about 3 hours from home traveling in a car. His trip was uneventful.

He could feel tension in his grip as he drove past the first few signs that read Mystic Falls, Virginia. The sign was old, he'd noticed it seemed like Mystic Falls hadn't changed in the 60 odd years that he'd been gone. Hidden from time he decided. The people had changed, just not the buildings as he drove past the Mystic Grille. It was still the grille, just a tourist destination he was sure now. His next pass was the cemetery this had him stopping, and pulling over. Curiosity had gotten to him. He pulled his sunglasses over his eyes, and pocketed his keys as he stepped out of his stolen car. The grass was dew filled from the warm morning air, even at this early hour it was humid. Of course that didn't bother him; he couldn't feel the heat and humidity. He made his way to the area that he had known last. There were names he knew that decorated the area. But there was only one name that he was really looking for. Damon was so lost in his own thoughts that he stumbled into a woman who was crouched down placing flowers on twin graves. He reached for her shoulders as she fell, and if he wasn't a vampire he would have fell himself.

"Sorry." He righted her, and then took a quick step back. She startled him, her hair was dark chocolate in color, but in the morning sun it took on a luscious chocolate red. Damon blinked a few times she was dressed in a black dress, that came to mid-thigh, and was wearing sunglasses.

She continued to stare at him as if she was mute, her mouth was hanging open and after a few moments she realized this and clamped it shut. "Do I know you?" She finally asked after a few false starts. Damon looked at her closely, and listened intently. She was human her heartbeat was beating rapidly.

He shook his head, and a small smirk came to his lips. "No. I'm just visiting." He nodded, and started to go around her.

She stopped him by standing in front of him. He halted, and ground his teeth together. He didn't want to have to compel her, but she was frustrating him and keeping him from what needed to be done. "You look so familiar." She whispered, dumbfounded.

He shrugged. "I'm visiting family here, now if you'll excuse me." He muttered she obeyed this time moving to the side. Damon walked quickly away. Why were people so forward in this time? Don't they know the town's recent history?

He stopped by a gravesite that made his heart hurt. "Ahh Liz." He closed his eyes, and let the memories hit him. This was the hard part, even for him. The last time he was in Mystic Falls he'd developed relationships, and that wasn't normal for him. He had an aloof personality for a reason. He pushed people away for a reason. He didn't want to get close if he got close he'd lose them just like he'd lost everyone he ever cared about. "You were a great friend Liz I'll miss you." He whispered, as his eyes opened. He blinked a few times in the bright light as his eyes readjusted.

"Damon?" He heard someone say quietly behind him. Startled he turned and looked over his shoulder expecting to see the girl from earlier, but she didn't know his name. Her wavy blond hair hung loosely in waves that came to a rest at her mid-back. Damon turned fully and took in what she was wearing, black designer jeans, black leather jacket, and under the leather jacket she wore a black shirt. Not the attire that he'd come to expect from Blondie. "Is that you?" She stepped closer, and a slow smile came to her lips, as she skipped forward hurling herself at him. He started to counter it, but at the last moment he realized what it was, and before he could move she collided with him wrapping her thin arms around his neck. "I can't believe you're here." She sniffed. He felt her shoulders shaking, and hesitantly wrapped his arms around her.

"…Blondie?" He asked once she had released him. She giggled and wiped her eyes.

"You almost sound happy to see me." She sniffed again, and gave him a watery smile. Damon rolled his eyes, and smirked.

"It's been a long time. Why are you here?" He asked quietly.

She wiped at her eyes again, and stared into the sun even behind her sunglasses he could see that her eyes were bright with tears. "Mom died a week ago I've just kind of stayed hidden all this time. I went to see her once and she remembered me. But, she was so far gone health wise that she couldn't convince anyone that she saw me…does it ever get easier?" She started to cry again, and leaned her forehead onto his chest. Awkwardly, he put his arms around her again.

He shrugged, death was always hard. "With time, especially for us it gets easier. I used to think so." He whispered rubbing light circles on the small of her back. She looked up at him, surprised at his confession.

She took his hand, and led him away from the gravesite. "I wasn't sure it was you at first, you're not all in black." She summarized. He smirked rolling his eyes at the comment. He was dressed close enough in black his trademark leather jacket over a tight light blue shirt, and dark navy jeans was close enough.

"I wear color every once in a while." He snapped, and she grinned and squeezed his arm.

"Did you just get here?" She asked, her sad mood had changed, and he was having difficulty staying up with it. He narrowed his eyes at the question. "Not everything has to be a so trivial Damon." She grumbled, and he opened his mouth to answer her but was caught off guard again when he saw three shadows moving across the graveyard toward them.

"We should leave." He reached for her arm, but she turned to look in the direction he was staring and was very calm. Well if she wasn't going to move he'd just leave her there. But something stopped him.

Damon's gaze landed on the young girl that he had bumped into at the graveside. She smiled lazily up at him, as his gaze landed on the older woman beside her. She looked familiar, and that's when it struck him. A much older version of Bonnie was staring at him too.

"Caroline? Damon?" She sputtered. Damon turned his gaze on Blondie, who had fallen out of her frozen state, and had wrapped her arms around the woman in question. There more tears than he cared to listen to, but he stayed in his place. Every once in a while his eyes would drift to the young woman in front of him. She just rolled her eyes, and turned her head to the side as if saying it had gone on long enough.

Damon cleared his throat, and Caroline and Bonnie separated. She looked suddenly younger, and Damon raised both his eyebrows incredulously. He composed his features, and took a step back. She looked like the Bonnie of 60 years ago. He blinked again.

"It's not your eyes Damon I use magic to make myself look older." She explained. He blinked a few more times, and then tried to form a coherent word.

"Make yourself look older?" He questioned.

"How do you do that? Shouldn't it be the other way around?" Caroline asked as dumbfounded as he was. At least Caroline was asking all the questions that his brain was asking him. He'd heard of a witch using magic to appear younger, but to look older?

"I will explain it all to you, just not right here." She smiled, and Caroline nodded, Damon was still staring at her. Bonnie, shifted uncomfortable under his gaze, and turned to the young woman beside her. "This is Alexis, our daughter." She introduced the woman he'd run into. That explained why she thought she knew him, she was a witch of course, she'd know everything that Bonnie knew of him. But yet, she had a look of awe on her face, not of the judgment that Bonnie's face usually held. Come to think of it, witchy hadn't been judgmental. She turned to look behind her as another older looking man started to walk their way.

As he grew closer, his appearance too changed, he went from an old man with graying hair, to a man with dark hair, and the features of someone in their mid-20's. It was impossible for Damon to keep the shock off his face as Jeremy stepped closer to him, and pulled him into a bone crushing embrace. Damon just stood there frozen a moment, before he unfroze and wrapped his arms around Jeremy just as fiercely. And when they both stepped back, they were both embarrassed from their momentary weakness.

"How do you….?" Damon trailed off.

"I stopped aging when I reached my full maturity." Jeremy explained for Bonnie.

"It's one of the side effects of the ring." Bonnie explained further. Damon's gaze dropped searching for the ring on Jeremy's finger. It wasn't there.

"It's hidden." Jeremy answered Damon's silent question. "We'll explain." He nodded at Damon, who nodded in return.

"Now I imagine you've come looking for me?" Bonnie asked Damon.

"Well…" He trailed off, and just stared at her in confusion.

"Ok, we can't talk here if someone sees either of you that are on the counsel you are sitting ducks. Mystic Falls is still very much in the know of your existence" she told both of them.

Damon only nodded falling onto step with Jeremy. "Shouldn't you look older again?" Damon leaned in whispering. Jeremy looked towards Bonnie.

"You are. You just trust Damon." She explained without having to be asked. Damon shuddered internally. 'Witches' He thought quietly. They were the only thing that scared him.

Jeremy was talking to him, so he let himself relax, and listen. They were talking about easier things, at how much the world had changed in sixty years they passed a familiar place in the cemetery that had him pausing.

"She's not here..."Jeremy told him quietly. "She's been missing for almost as long as you have been." Damon stopped completely, causing Jeremy to do the same. Damon's eyes narrowed, and he stared at Jeremy. "About 5 years after you left she left looking for you…and _Stefan_." Damon noticed the bitterness in Jeremy's voice when he said his brother's name.

"…Stefan didn't stay?" His voice was wary.

"No, he never came back after the accident." They'd begun walking again, and this time when Damon suddenly stopped, Jeremy crashed into his back.

"What accident?" Damon asked fiercely.

"Now is not the time, we need to get them out if here" Bonnie interrupted she was looking very pale. And Damon could feel magic around him. She was doing something to them as well. Damon glared at her, and could read nothing but concern. He glared back at Jeremy.

"I'll explain, now let's go." Jeremy said urgently. Damon finally agreed his eyes taking in the people around him.

"Did you drive here?" Caroline asked them.

"No we walked from the church." Bonnie explained, and Damon rolled his eyes.

"I have my car." He told them, and led them to his stolen car. They all piled into his car, and Bonnie guided him out of town towards the boarding house.

"Elena gifted it to me, it's the one place we feel safe" Jeremy told him as Damon pulled into his familiar driveway, it looked older like everything else somehow to him. He didn't reply to Jeremy's comment, as he stepped out of the car and put his hands in his pockets, he felt a lump at the back of his throat. His leaving didn't do anyone any good.

"What accident?" Damon gruffly asked again when they were safely through the doors of the boarding house. He was surprised when they didn't have to be invited in.

"I lifted my spell for the both of you." Bonnie explained, at Damon's thought. He started to wonder if she could read his mind. But, she only walked away with Blondie.

Jeremy led them further into the parlor and went on explaining the accident seeming that he was the only one out of the loop.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa…back up, Elena's a vampire?" Damon glared at Jeremy. Jeremy nodded, and Damon fell into the wall for support not even bothering to hide his emotions as tears filled his eyes.

"When did all this happen" He hissed out. He glared at Caroline when she started to comfort him. "…just _tell_ me." he snapped turning back to Jeremy as he composed himself.

They went on in turns explaining what Rebekah did, and of Ric's demise. Damon figured it happened shortly after he'd left Ric unconscious, he turned away throwing his fist through the wall and then slid down it, cupping his hands over his face, and then dropping them. He shook with rage, and the effort of keeping all the pain inside.

"Stefan never returned?" He finally asked when he could speak and sound coherent. His voice was filled with barely concealed rage. Damon stood and walked over to the bar for a drink. Everything was where it used to be. He was surprised to see it left untouched, as he grabbed a bottle.

"He didn't, she was left alone to turn." Damon choked, and then coughed as his drink went down wrong he wiped his mouth.

"She transitioned alone!" He shouted in rage, and threw the bottle at the fireplace he wiped a hand down his face before turning to face them. His eyes were wild, and he could feel the veins under his eyes changing as his anger raged on.

"No, I was here." Caroline said, Damon blurred forward, Caroline didn't even flinch.

Damon stopped inches from her his hands fisted. "I should stake you for not telling me" He was glaring at her, but not touching her, she reached out and placed a soft hand on his shoulder, he let her this time. He was breathing hard, trying to calm himself. It had taken a lot of years to master that skill. He breathed out slowly, closing his eyes, his face changing back to human.

"I'm sorry, Damon." Caroline whispered.

"Thank you for not letting her transition alone." He whispered, and broke away from Caroline.

"We tried to contact you. I did constant location spells to find you, but we thought you were dead…Elena was otherwise unconvinced at that she said she could feel you." Bonnie explained to his back. Damon was staring into the fireplace. How he could have been so stupid, he thought to himself. He wanted to stake Stefan. If he ever found his brother that would be it how could he leave her? And where was he? Why hadn't they crossed paths in the last sixty years? Despite all the thoughts going through his head, he still listened to them explain things.

"Bonnie couldn't find her either after she disappeared...all she left was a note..." Jeremy explained breaking off, and Damon only nodded as he turned to face a broken looking Jeremy. He took a step closer, and placed his hands on the younger man's shoulders.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry" he whispered to Jeremy.

"It's not_ your_ fault"...and Damon understood the implication in his tone...if he ever saw his brother again he'd stake him for them.

After a long moment, Jeremy stepped away from Damon, and walked over to the bar, filling a glass with whiskey.

"Now I imagine you have a question for me." Bonnie asked Damon, she'd come up behind him without him knowing it. But, he didn't let her see that.

Suddenly, after having almost forgotten about the ring in his pocket he fingered it again. He searched Bonnie's face for a long moment. He'd never really fully trusted her, and everything that was happening with them at the moment didn't lead him to trust her further, or at all. But, she was the only witch he knew that he could find. Plus, she owed him.

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**Hey Readers! Love you guys! I'm sorry if anyone seemed a little off, we're still developing characters and I'm not a big Bonnie fan, she hurts Damon too much for my taste... so if she seemed off, that was all me...lol Again remember this is 60 years ahead, so she's had alot of time to consider how awful she was to Damon...lol and of course what we learned. **

**If you have questions ask away. I love them, Blue loves them too... it also helps us along to see how we are doing. **

**Please leave us a review! What did you like? And what we could improve on? Also, what I asked above. **

**Next chapter will be up soon, lets see if we can make 20 reviews...Please :) We love them, and they keep us going. **

**Lots of Love, **

**Inside my Mind1 and Blue! **


	4. Chapter 4: Mystic Falls 2072 part 2

_**Well we exceeded my review thought. Thanks so much for your reviews, they mean the world to us, I'm glad you are enjoying the chapters. Having a little bit of Elena and Damon in each chapter it is. Thank you for letting us know. Please review, and hope you enjoy… **_

_**Love,**_

_**Blue and Inside my Mind**_

**Summary: "I never unfell for Stefan" went repeatedly through Damon's mind. He had to get away, who could blame him...he'd lost her forever. "FOREVER" It was on repeat in his mind. 60 yrs was alot of time for a human. But it was a millisecond for him. Damon didn't look back as he boarded the unknown flight with just the clothes on his back. Alot could change in 60 yrs, but what would he come home to? **

**Pairing: Damon and Elena**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, just borrowing the characters for a little while**

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**Chapter 4 - Mystic Falls 2072, Part 2**

Damon took Bonnie's hand and led her up the stairs after staring at Caroline with narrowed eyes. She caught the drift, and put her iPod on, but Damon wasn't satisfied as he turned on his shower, after leaving Bonnie in the center of his room.

"What can't you tell them?" She asked, as he stalked back to her. He brushed passed her and closed his bedroom door. He opened his shirt a little, and Bonnie took a step back.

"Please." He said with heavy sarcasm dripping in his voice. She crossed her arms, and glared at him.

"Well you're not leaving much left for my imagination Damon; I can't read your mind." She rolled her eyes then narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously.

"_Then open your eyes_." He snapped, nodding at his chest, and she glanced down at it. She stepped closer curious.

"What is it?" She asked, stepping even closer.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out." He said with annoyance. She looked at him critically, and reached out with her hand with a question in her eyes. "Do whatever you need to do." He said at her hesitation. Her warm fingers gingerly touched his chest where the mark was, and there was a sudden spark, as she yanked her hand away. Damon flinched at it, and stumbled back a step.

"What the hell?" She fell back onto the floor; her eyes were wide with shock, bewilderment, and suspicion. "What happened to you?" She gulped, and her eyes were bright with tears. Damon narrowed his eyes suspiciously, easing her to her feet and led her to his bed so they could sit.

He told her what happened in detail, not leaving out anything. "She said her name was Elena, she sounded like her. Her touch was familiar, but it was like we were both blocked, to know who the other was. It's like she's Elena." He had started to say his Elena…but had stopped himself this was Bonnie he was talking to. He pulled out the ring, and balanced it on the center of his palm. "When I caught up to them again, before she left, she gave me this, and made it aware that her partner that she was traveling with shouldn't know I had it…It was like they were running from someone, or something." He paused to swallow, as his throat was suddenly parched. "…She said if they knew what she did, she would never be able to come back to that part of the world. Her heart beat like a human, but her eyes… her eyes we're a color I'd never seen on a human. And she wasn't human Bonnie, some sort of witch, or vampire or both." He closed his eyes, and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"May I?" She asked him as his hand had fisted over the ring. "I'm not going to touch it; I can feel for magic over your palm, besides I'd rather not feel that pain again." She grimaced. He nodded, as he smoothed out his hand, and held it close to her.

She took his hand, and held her free hand over the ring. There was certain energy that he felt as she did this, but it was only her magic that he could feel. "It's a protection stone, Chrysoberyl or Chrysoprase in mythology, or ancient history it's said to protect, and it was said to have the power to confer invisibility on the one who wore it in battle."

"It changes color." Damon stated as he stared at the stone on the ring.

"Yes, in daylight you'd see emeralds and blues in incandescent light you will see reds, and purples." Bonnie explained. "It has its own magic, something I've never felt. She isn't a witch." Bonnie removed her hand, and scooted away from him.

"Then what is she?" Damon demanded. Bonnie furrowed her brows in deep thought.

"Do you remember anything when she healed you?" She asked carefully.

Damon frowned, she wasn't answering him. "No – Bonnie, I was out for that part. I woke up with her over me, and very confused. It wasn't any sensation I've ever felt before, not even the pain. Vervain can paralyze us, but I've been drinking it for the last sixty – odd years, it wasn't vervain." He was shaking his head his eyes narrowing; she went on to explain further while he stared at her.

"No it wasn't vervain, and it wasn't something I've felt before. That much I could feel when I touched you." Damon growled in annoyance.

"How 'bout you explain it so I can understand" He snapped. Bonnie was bringing back some of his old behaviors. He closed his eyes, and rubbed the back of his neck.

"It's part of being a witch, feeling someone's life force, or energy. Even the living dead has a force, you have power." Damon cut her off.

"I know that!" He snapped, she touched his shoulder and he stiffened.

"Damon I don't know, I need to research it. I need a little bit of your blood." She told him trying to calm him. He shrugged her hand off his shoulder and nodded.

"Alright." He said stiffly, he couldn't figure Bonnie out as he stood and held his wrist to his lips, but she shook her head, he groaned and walked over to the nightstand by his bed. He pulled a letter opener off of it. Then walked warily back over to her, seating himself next to her. He handed her the wooden blade, and his hand.

"I need something to put it in." She said exasperated, and he rolled his eyes. "I'll be right back." He nodded, and lay back on the bed closing his eyes. He was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. So much had changed, all of them had.

Bonnie walked quickly to the closet in another room, and pulled out what she needed to do the spell. Visions were speeding through her head of what had happened to Damon at the airport, as was a picture of the young woman in question. She couldn't see her face clearly, and she felt like she was being blocked at doing so. She couldn't even tell if it was their Elena. The stone in the ring bothered her, it was a stone of protection, but also used in spells for her kind was a cloak of invisibility if you were in battle. Which could be translated as running from something or someone it was different than what she normally would use. Darker somehow she walked quickly back to Damon. He was lying back on the bed, his hands crossed behind his head but his eyes were open. He straightened up when she entered.

"I have a lot of these." She explained, setting the vial down and her grimore. He didn't reply, only held out his hand. She gently took it, placing it in her palm, as she positioned the letter opener of his palm. "Ready?" She asked him. He nodded, and she sliced into his hand. "Okay, just help me squeeze it into here." She told him, as he made a fist and let his blood run into the vial. "That should be enough." She told him, and he pulled his hand away, whipping the excess blood off his palm with a nearby towel that she had. He kept his eyes downcast watching his palm heal as Bonnie worked her spell.

He leaned back on his elbows and watched her from the corner of his eyes. She looked like she was struggling, and he was quick to catch her when she fell forward. "Bonnie!" He shook her, and laid her gently on the bed. "Bonnie?" He shook her, no response. "Shit!" He jumped to his feet, and yelled for Jeremy.

Jeremy rushed into the bedroom with Caroline close on his heels. Alexis was slower to come, but she was next to her mom before he could blink. "What happened?" She asked.

"She was doing a spell." Damon said quickly, as his gaze landed on Alexis's. She then closed her eyes, and took her mom's hand.

"She'll be alright." Alexis said her gaze locked with his. "But, she'll need help to complete the spell in question it's too much for her to do alone." She told him.

"Right. Where do we find another witch?" Damon asked he already knew that she was a witch.

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As they stepped out of the airport and into the cool Alaskan air, Elena was for once grateful of her large coat. The warmth it provided was much more welcomed than the disguise as the cold wind sliced against her face. Riley quickly got them a taxi and both were thankful for the warmth it provided as it shuttled them to the hotel they'd stay at tonight.

As they drove, Elena tried to work out what she was going to say when she called her brother. With so many years since their last conversation, nothing she could think of sounded right. Finally she decided that being honest was most likely her best bet and tried to calm down as Riley checked them into the hotel and got them into their room.

"Do you mind if I take a shower to thaw out?" He asked as they dumped their luggage down onto the carpet. Elena nodded, she wasn't that cold.

"Are you going to call Jareth?" Riley asked.

"No, not yet but soon." She whispered.

"Are you going to tell him where we are?" He asked taking off his coat and laying it on the chair in their room.

"Probably not, if I need to see him, I'll go there." She said uneasily.

Riley grimaced. "You want to be even colder?"

Elena let out a frustrated sigh, "Riley! No, I don't want to be colder, I don't want to have to go crawling to my older brother for advice, I don't want to have to see my father, and I really don't want to have to go apologize for running away when all I wanted was to be in control of my own life!"

Riley looked hesitant to respond after her outburst, so she continued. She shoved the hood of her jacket back off her head, letting her hair fall out. "But I will have to! Whatever I did to that vampire needs to be undone. I just wanted to help him, not drag him into our world. He didn't ask for that and it's not safe"

"He was involved in his own world Elena – his world is just as dangerous." Now Riley was more involved in the argument and took a step closer to her. Her smallness made more apparent by his height didn't change anything in the frustration she wore. The only difference was she now saw her friend's irritation and concern more closely. When she didn't say anything he went on.

"El, why are you so worried about this guy? You should be more worried about yourself, about us! And almost everything I've heard is about protecting _HIM_. You don't even know him Elena! He's a stranger, nothing to you."

A flash of rage flamed through her veins, and Elena had never felt anything like the defensive instinct that it lit within her soul. She tore off her glasses and blazed back at the man who had been her friend for all her life. "What do you know about it? You didn't heal him Riley! I did! I'm the one that left that mark on him!"

Riley blinked rapidly and stepped away from that golden - brown gaze that frightened him just a little. He'd never seen Elena truly angry, despite their years together, and knowing what she was, it worried him. She took a step back and placed her hand over her eyes, trying to calm herself down. She had no idea where that emotion had come from. Riley had been her friend for so long and to see fear of her on his face was sobering.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"She stammered, moving to sit down on the cushioned chair nearby.

"I shouldn't have said that." Riley tried to apologize, as he watched her drop her head into her hands.

The rush of anger was gone now but she still felt shaky. In truth, she'd felt off since they'd left the airport. She was scared, and deep down she knew why. In her heart she could feel that whatever she had done to leave that mark on Damon, had done something to her as well.

At first she'd wanted to believe that the mark was an accident, something that had gone wrong with her healing, but her heart cried out the true answer. She had left her mark on him, the same way all Valthrei like her left their mark upon their chosen ones. But that in itself was impossible, she wasn't supposed to know that his kind existed, they were forbidden and he already found his soul-mate.

Something deep within Elena shivered. Despite, the distance that her travels had taken her from him, she still could feel him with her. When she closed her eyes she could still see golden blue strands, the same color golden blue as his aura, entwined with her own emerald color. But what did all of this mean?

_I wish I knew_

She knew that marking a mate was the first step to pairing, but she had never heard of marking a vampire during a healing. Maybe it was just a coincidence, a side effect of the severe healing she'd had to go through to save him. Elena half hoped that were true as she didn't want to drag an innocent man into the tangled web of her life. That was why most humans had their memories altered, it was simply easier for them that way, or so the High Council had discerned. But he wasn't a human, he was a vampire. Her mind shuttered at what they would do with him if they found out.

I can't jeopardize his life because of my mistake. She told herself. She'd simply have to forget about him, hope he'd be all right, and forget. But something inside her sighed at the thought, letting out a pained sound that reverberated through her soul. He and they needed her for something.

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Alexis released her mother's hand and turned to Damon. "Of course you already know I'm a witch." Caroline shifted uncomfortably looking back in forth between Alexis and Damon.

"Alexis, maybe we should let your mom rest." Caroline suggested stepping in between Damon and Alexis. Alexis only maneuvered herself out of Caroline's reach and took Damon by the hand. At first Damon started to pull his hand away, but then he felt an odd sensation of calm work its way through him.

Alexis, even at her young age, well maybe not as young as he thought was more powerful than her mother. Her hand started to tremble as he felt her picking her way through his head. He should feel violated but he couldn't whatever she was doing to his emotions was the exact opposite to what Bonnie could do back in the day with the brain aneurysm. When she was finished she stumbled back, her face wet with tears, and she looked at her mother with a look of disapproval. Damon wondered how much of him she was able to read. Probably everything he decided from the look on her face. She was having a difficult time holding back tears, and Damon had impulsive feeling to comfort her. He shuddered, and took a step back, and the back of his knees hit his bed sending him crashing down.

"I'm sorry." She walked forward this time taking his hand in comfort, again he wanted to rip his away but he couldn't.

"Water under the Bridge," He muttered turning away looking at Bonnie lying across his bed.

"I don't mean my mom." She whispered, and Damon turned back narrowing his eyes.

"When I touch someone I can read their life…and undead life." Damon's gaze fell on Jeremy's.

"She's_ your_ daughter?" He asked suspiciously. Jeremy nodded.

"Yes – Damon do I need to explain it to you." He asked with sarcasm and Damon rolled his eyes.

"I wasn't born yesterday, witches aren't that powerful." Damon raised an eyebrow.

Alexis smirked, and rolled her eyes. "I'm not all witch, I'm whatever dad is and mom is combined. Dad isn't all human." She turned to look at Jeremy who just rolled his eyes.

"Of course I'm human; I've just been brought back with magic." He snapped, and Damon turned his face away. He still felt responsible for that, although because he was Delusional he didn't remember it happening during the werewolf bite.

Damon turned back to them, and his gaze still on Bonnie, he turned "Right those consequences." He said but his gaze was on Alexis.

"I feel every thought, emotion, guilt and pain." Damon's face took on a pained look, as he thought of that.

"I'm sorry; my head isn't the greatest place to be." He shrugged canting his head to the side and smirking. She snorted.

"Neither is your brothers, his is worse. At least you have emotion." She shuddered and sat next to him. She bumped her shoulder with his. "I never met him, but again every emotion." She shrugged.

"Taking my thoughts against my brother is hardly" She placed her hand against his chest; he jumped to his feet, as the sensation sent the beginning sensation of pain through his chest. He didn't want to cause Alexis the same feeling of pain as he had Bonnie. But Alexis just bounded to her feet, and took a step closer.

"Easy, it was just tingly, that may because you're so hot." She giggled, and Caroline and Jeremy snorted. Damon regarded her severely and took another step back.

"Let's not take or chances, I can do without head pain when your mother wakes up." Damon gestured towards Bonnie, but all Alexis did was smile as she touched his chest, this time Damon felt the tingly sensation once again her hand warmed, and it got hotter, he flinched at it. She removed her hand, and shook it off.

"I don't think she only looks like _your_ Elena, I get the feeling that somehow she is _your_ Elena." Alexis told everyone.

Three sets of eyes stared at her with varying degrees of shock on their face.

"How?" Damon demanded once he recovered. Asking what everybody wanted to know.

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_**Please Review, and thanks so much for reading. The next chapter will have a little bit of a flashback or backstory in it of their Elena…Where did she go? And what may have happened to her? Is she the Elena in the airport? Being worked on now, may not have all those answered…but we may have a few surprise guests. **_

_**Love you!**_

_**Blue & Inside my mind1 (:**_


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